Self-elevating drinking straw



July 30, 1963 R. L. NEUHAUSER SELF-ELEVATING DRINKING STRAW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1961 INVENTOR ROY 1.. NEUHAUSER ATTORNEY July 3.0, 1963 R. L. NEUHAUSER 3,099,565

SELF-ELEVATING DRINKING STRAW Filed Feb. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illlll INVENTOR ROY L NEUHAUSER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,099,565 SELF-ELEVATING DRINKING STRAW Roy L. Neuhauser, Ariington, Va. (875 W. Cresta Lorna Drive, Tucson, Ariz.) Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,305 Claims. (Cl. 99-138) The present invention relates to a drinking straw and more particularly to a self-contained and self-elevating drinking straw for bottles containing carbonated beverages.

An object of the invention is to produce a drinking straw which may be totally contained within a bottle of carbonated beverage and, when the bottle is uncapped, will rise to a drinking or sipping position.

In one of the preferred embodiments the invention may typically comprise in combination with a bottle containing a carbonated or effervescent beverage, a drinking straw, and means attached to the straw for capturing a portion of the gases liberated from the beverage to thereby effectively raise the straw to a drinking position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become manifest from reading the following detailed description of the invention considered in light of the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the drinking straw entirely within an associated capped container;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 after the cap has been removed and the drinking straw has been caused to be raised to a drinking position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a modification of straw attachment showing the shape of the blank from which it is formed; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the modification illustrated in FIG. 3 in its assembled form.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a bottle 10, typically formed of glass, for containing a carbonated beverage 12 and having a top closure or cap 14-. Disposed within the beverage 12 is a drinking straw 16.

Near the bottom of the straw 16 there is a substantially bell-shaped element 18 made from an insoluble material, such as, for example, acrylic polyester, paper laminated plastic, or aluminum. The constricted end 29 of the element 18 is cylindrical and has an inside diameter to enable a snug engagement between it and the associated drinking straw 16. It will be appreciated that firm engagement between the bell-shaped element 18 and the drinking straw 16 may be readily achieved by the application of a suitable cement which when set is insoluble in the beverage 12, or, alternatively, by maintaining the relative inside dimensions of the constricted end 20 and the outside dimension of the drinking straw 16 such that a force or press fit may be achieved therebetween.

In order to facilitate the installation of the drinking straw assembly in the associated carbonated beverage bottle 10, the zone defined by the interior wall of the bell-shaped element 18 is at least partially filled with a soluble material 22 such as sugar, ice, or the like. Since the drinking straw assembly may be inserted into the bottle 16' either before, during, or after it is filled with the carbonated beverage 12, the material 22 in the bellshaped element 18 is of sufficient weight to effectively cause the entire assembly to assume a position of rest totally within the confines of the bottle 10. Accordingly, the drinking straw assembly will not then interfere with the filling of the bottle with the carbonated beverage 12, or with the application of the top closure or cap 14.

After the top closure or cap 14 is suitably secured to the Patented July 30, 1963 top of the bottle 10, the soluble material 22 will dissolve and :go into the solution of the beverage 12.

With reference to FIG. 2, the top closure or cap 14 has been removed from the bottle 10 and, therefore, the carbon dioxide is allowed to escape from the beverage 12 as bubbles generally indicated by reference numeral 24. As the effervescence of the beverage 12 continues, certain of the carbon dioxide bubbles are captured within the zone 26, defined by the interior wall of the bell-shaped element, which had been filled with the soluble material 22. The carbon dioxide given off by the beverage and captured within the zone 26 imparts sufiicient buoyancy to the drinking straw assembly to cause it to rise within the bottle 16 to a drinking position as illustrated in FIG. 2. In this manner, the invention provides an inexpensive and effective means for providing the consumer of carbonated beverages with a sanitary drinking straw.

One of the typical methods of filling the zone 26 of the bell-shaped element 18 is by casting the soluble material 22 there-within. Since most of the carbonated beverages are flavored with natural flavors added from fruits, nuts, roots, herbs, and bark and leaves of plants, sugar is a material well suited for use with the invention, is readily compatible with the carbonated beverages known in this country as soda, pop, and soft drinks, and include ginger ale, the cola beverages, and numerous other types and may radily be cast onto the interior surface of the element 18 before insertion into the bottle 10.

A typical procedure for casting a sugar within the zone 26 is to dispose the drinking straw assembly in a position where the open end of the element 1'8 is upward. Then a molten sugar solution is prepared and poured into the element 18 to fill or partially fill the zone 26. The solution is then allowed to solidify prior to insertion into a carbonated beverage.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a further modification of the invention wherein a blank 40 of flexible material, such as plastic impregnated paper, is formed with a centrally located opening defined by an annular flange 42 extending out of the plane of the blank 40. The central opening and the annular flange 42 are adapted to receive a drinking straw 44 which is suitably affixed therein.

The blank 40 is formed with a plurality of outwardly radially extending spaced arms 46. At each of the roots of adjacent arms 46 there is formed a bend relief hole 43 which facilitates the bending of the arms. 46 as will hereinafter be explained.

In preparing the assembly for insertion into an associated bottle for carbonated bevereages, the arms 46 are folded downwardly along the line defined generally by the bend relief holes 48 as clearly illustrated in FIG. 4. The arms 46 are maintained in this position while a soluble material such as molten sugar is cast within the zone defined by the bent arms 46. Afiter the soluble material solidifies, the arms 46 are held in place. It will be appreciated that the outside diameter of the assembly must be slightly less than the smallest inside diameter of the bottle into which the assembly is to be inserted.

After insertion into the bottle of carbonated beverage, the soluble material oast within the member 49 dissolves and goes into solution, thereby freeing the arms 46 which spring outwardly and assume the shape illustrated in FIG. 3. In the extended form, the assembly may not freely be passed through the neck of the bottle of carbonated beverage. When the bottle is uncapped, allowing the carbon dioxide to go out of solution, the undersurface of the member 40 captures a portion thereof and renders the drinking straw assembly buoyant. The gas bubbles which adhere to the bottom suface of the member 40 cause the entire assembly to elevate within the bottle and thereby place the drinking straw outside of the opening of the bottle in a drinking position.

It will be appreciated that although the above descript-ion has made reference to the drinking straw and the associated attachment as being initially fabricated separately, equally satisfiaotory results are achieved by casting the drinking straw and the attachment in a single op,- eration.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodirnents. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A drinking straw for use in containers for eifeivescent and carbonated beverages comprising an elongated hollow straw member, a bell-shaped element attached to said straw member, said bell-shaped element extending radially outwardly and downwardly from said stnaw member and disposed near the bottom end thereof to be immersed within the beverage for capturing a portion of the gases liberated from the beverage to thereby efiectively raise said straw member into a drinking position.

2. The invention claimed in claim 1 and further a soluble material cast upon a surface of said element.

3. The invention claimed in claim 1 wherein said element is formed of a flexible plastic material.

4. The invention claimed in claim 3 wherein said element has a plurality of radially outwardly extending arms.

5. The invention claimed in claim 4 wherein bend re lief means are formed at the root of each of the adjacent ones of said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,253,579 Deanes Jan. 15, 1918 1,309,994 McAulifie July 15, 1919 1,996,203 Hollingsworth Apr. 2, 1935 2,294,224 Daly Aug. 25, 1942 2,613,107 Hartnett Oct. 7, 1952 2,613,988 Jarbeau Oct. 14, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 851,708 France Oct. 9, 1939 

1. A DRINKING STRAW FOR USE IN CONTAINERS FOR EFFERVESCENT AND CARBONATED BEVERAGES COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HOLLOW STRAW MEMBER, A BELL-SHAPED ELEMENT ATTACHED TO SAID STRAW MEMBER, SAID BELL-SHAPED ELEMENT EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID STRAW MEMBER AND DISPOSED NEAR THE BOTTOM END THEREOF TO BE IMMERSED WITHIN THE BEVERAGE FOR CAPTURING A PORTION OF THE GASES LIBERATED FROM THE BEVERAGE TO THEREBY EFFECTIVELY RAISE SAIS STRAW MEMBER INTO A DRINKING POSITION.
 2. THE INVENTION CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1 AND FURTHER A SOLUBLE MATERAL CAST UPON A SURFACE OF SAID ELEMENT. 